Many of you might know, I work as a "hostess" of sorts for our first time guest check in at church. I assist new families with signing their kids in, assigning rooms, and acting as a mini tour guide of Preston Trail Community Church. (Love, love, love, love, love my church ya'll). I really, really love this role I'm in- I never want anyone to walk out of the church feeling like there's not a community of love and support there. I love it so much, that I have been known to run back to the desk between tours so that no one else gets to greet MY first time guests. So funny on the days when I find myself doing that.
Anyway, today I had an experience like no other. I've been in this role for several years now, and have never once had an unpleasant guest or experience. Until now. I'm not sure what the deal was, but this guest came in with guns blaring for some reason. I was asked if I was a regular volunteer, because things just seemed "sooo disorganized". Those were her exact words. I was baffled by the attack as she fired questions at me, and attacked the way we do things (all of which is entirely safe, organized and done with love and care). I felt my face flush, I stuttered, I didn't know what to do. I told her we're almost at capacity in every service, so while things might seem disorganized, and busy, it DOES work, and there are methods. She kept at it. Then she went after one of the children's directors, and said, "This place does NOT work for me!" and spun on her heel and walked away. Okay. What in the world? Welcome to Jesus' house, ya'll. There was more, but I'm not going to go into it.
I kept my cool, but I can tell you I walked back to the desk stunned. I take these kind of things too personally, and I felt somewhere between two things- a) I had failed at making her feel comfortable in the church and b) well, she didn't know what she was missing in Preston Trail. I explained to my friend Denyse, who's on staff (in case we get a phone call or email), and I said, "How could she say that?!?!?! I think I'm really GOOD at 1st time guests! Boy that's a bruise to the ego!" We both laughed. No, but really. I have a bruised ego.(I feel like if this was Twitter I would insert the hashtag #notaboutme here).
So, we go into the service a bit late, and guess what? The service is on "7 Reasons It's Hard For Me To Love You"- Specifically, for this week- "You get on my last nerve". Oh. How appropriate. Jim's message (you can download notes or stream our services live HERE) was on 1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love is patient. Love is Kind" and it was not your normal wedding sermon. Things I wrote down that stuck out- "We don't have to LIKE everyone, but we can make the choice to act in ways of love for their good." "Being patient allows us time to understand why people are who they are." "Remember how patient he's been with us." "Transforming enmity into friendship is a game-changing life skill."
Then he referenced a verse that I loved: Romans 2:4
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
"4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
....MEANING.... we are to demonstrate the kindness, tolerance and patience as much as possible to others, because he did that for us. He led us to repentance with kindness, tolerance and patience. I thought about my first time guest, and this sermon served as a nudging from the Holy Spirit that helped me change my perspective on the ego assault. I felt bad for what she was missing out on in my great church community, and said a little prayer that whatever had made her that way, she would find a place that helped her let that go. She is not the enemy. Satan is. The five year ago Manda would never have done that for someone who took my ego, insulted it, threw it on the floor and did the Mexican hat dance around it. Thank you, Lord Jesus. This is some progress.
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